DHAKA, Nov 6: Participants at a roundtable on country’s textile sector have stressed the need for bringing apparel, textile sectors and all other sub-sectors under one ministry aimed at expediting the development of the sectors.

“The apparel sector is under the commerce ministry while the textile sector is under another ministry. I think the disagreement between the sectors could have been resolved if they were under a single ministry,” said former state minister for textile Abdul Mannan MP at the roundtable.

He was the key-note speaker at the roundtable organized by ministry of textiles. Among others, Textiles Minister Abdul Matin Chowdhury, State Minister for Textiles Mizanur Rahman Sinha, BGMEA Vice-president Kazi Moniruzzaman and BTMA Chairman Matin Chowdhury spoke on the occasion.

According to Abdul Mannan, there has been a conflict of interest among the sub-sectors under both the sectors. The key note speaker referred to the issue of SAARC cumulation in this regard.

Country’s apparel exporters are in favour of SAARC cumulation as it would boost country’s apparel export while the textile owners are against it as they fear that the sector would be affected seriously once SAARC cumulation is implemented.

BGMEA Vice-president Kazi Moniruzzaman said that both textile and apparel sector have to work together for the development of the sector.

The BGMEA leader said that it is the government to decide which sector would belong under which ministry. Referring to the election manifesto of the BNP-led four-party alliance said that it promised to set up a separate ministry for ready made garment sector.

He, however, said that there should be a quick decision whether a new ministry should be formed or both the sectors would be under the same ministry.

Shahajada Mia, leader of Bangladesh Specialised Textile Mills and Powerloom Industries Association (BSTMPIA), also observed that the sectors should be under one ministry.

At the roundtable the textile minister gave a brief resume of achievements and initiatives taken by his ministry during last one year to boost country’s textile sector.— Daily Star/The Asian News Network